Underwater-torpedo tube



Patented F eb. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANS TECHL, OF KIEL, GEBMANY,ASSIGNOR T FRIED. KIR-UPP AKTIENGESELL- SCHAFT GERMANIAWERFT, O'F KIEL-GAARDEN, GERMANY.

UNDERWATER-TORPEDO TUBE.

l0 lith the under-water torpedo tubes used hitherto, the inner space ot' the launching.

tube is before the launching entirely lled by the torpedo and the surrounding Water.

During the launching the compressed ejecting air is introduced into the rear end of the tube, it presses on the Water, the pressure transmits to the torpedo and causes its movement. As soon as the torpedo has left the tube, the air expands suddenly and rises upwardly in a` large bubble producing at the Water surface an undulating' motion which is visible and audible to a large distance.

The invention has for its object to pre- -i vent the said undulating motion, this object being attained by arranging in the tube in rear ot but not in contact with the torpe-do a. freely movable piston the rear face of which is acted upon by the driving medium.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, by Way ot example, .a sectional view of an embodiment oi the subjectanatter of the invention.

The tube A is tightly closable at both ends by doors l and C as usual. The supply pipe D for the compressed air which is provi-ded with a cock E, opens into the door B. The tube contains the torpedo F and a piston G arranged in rear of and at a certain distance from the torpedo and bearing against an annular rubber buli'er b2 of the door B. Mounted on the rear portion oit the tube A is lan exhaust Valve H for the compressed air which opens into the interior oi. the boat through an open branch J. The valve H is connected by means oi a rigging K, L With a double-'armed lever M mounted in a hollow bearing block N of the tube A. The lever M carries at its lower free end a pawldike member O which is adapted to project into the path of the piston G after the torpedo has passed it, but which is prevented by a stop m1 from swinging beyond a certain position. A pipe P closable by a cock Q establishes coin- 1924. Serial No. 704,462.

munication between'the tube A and a water tank R the capacity of which is equa-l to the space ot' the tube A not lilled by the torpedo.

In describing now the operation of the invention it is assumed that the several parts are in the state illustrated in the drawing. The tube A is loaded with a torpedo F, the piston G is in the tube and the doors B and C are closed. Shortly before the launching, the cock Q is openedand the tube A filled With surrounding Water from the tank R and then the door C is opened. For the purpose of launching, the cock E is turned into its open position, thereby permitting the admission .behind the piston G of the compressed air designed to eject the torpedo. The air pressure drives the piston G forward and the latter transmits its motion to the surrounding Water and the torpedo F. When sufficient compressed air has entered, the cock E is again closed.

As soon as the torpedo has glided past the lever M, the paWl O will drop by its own Weight and abut against the stop m1. The piston G on its further course` will strike against the paWl O and reverse the lever M. This movement is transmitted by the rigging L, K to the valve H opening the same, so that the compressed air contained in the tube in rear of the piston Will exhaust into the interior of the boat. At the same time the piston comes to a standstill. As soon as the pressure of the air in the tube A has become smaller than that of the sea-\vater, the piston will be driven back by the external Water pressure and caused to return into its initial position.

For the purpose o'l' re-loading, in a Wellknoivn manner the tube is closed again and its Water emptied into the. tank R and another tank (not shown) arranged below the tube and having the volume ot the torpedo. After opening the door B the piston G may be taken out and another torpedo introduced. Thereupon the piston G is reinm serted and the door B closed so that the tube is again ready for firing.

It is attained by the invention that the compressed air used for launching the torpedoes does not come into touch with the Water and therefore produce no undulating motion which might betray the presence of a torpedo. As the driving piston is arranged at al certain distance behind the tor- 110 pedo, no1'dai'igeril exists o1c the pistou injur-f mg theesteeringmeans ofthe--torpedoiorits propeller shaft. Therefore, the Vordinary torpedoes .f 'may Abe used Without any 5 special protecting measured If the torpedo does not fit quite Close in the tube7 Water Will How alongJt-he torpedo# during the launching and the piston will approach the torpedo. In yorder-to-prevent1-- 10 a Contact of the piston and torpedo it is therefore necessary that the' distance'm betWe'ent-heni issufiieiently large =fromthe he` grinning;

Claims: y l. In an under-water torpedo tube,` a

freely movable piston for ejeoting the tor' pedo, said piston beingarranged. in the tube in rear of but notin'oontactwiththe torj pedo, and means fort-allowing` a driving'me- ILdiunito act on the rear tace of the piston.'

2. In anr under-Water torpedo tube,x a

pedo,''11'1ea-ns for admittingy compri-seed air to `the-.rear*eidefof the piston for the expulsion of the torpedo, and means for allowingl v the eXha-ust of the air contained in the-tube behind-the piston'fater .the expulsion so as to cause the piston to be automatically returned nto'fitstinitial position by the external Water pressure.

3. In an under-Water torpedo tube, a freely movable piston for ejeetinzgV the torpedo, said piston being arranged in the tube inrear of but not in Contact with the' torpedo," means for vadmitting Compressed air to 'the "rear side of the pistoirfor the expulsion 'of the torpedo,- a valve for allowing' the exhaust' ot' the air contained in the tube y*behind the piston after the expulsion, a

lever pivota'llysupported bythe tube and adapted to project into the path ot' the piston'andv to be reversed by the same and a 'rigg'ing"eonneotinpI the lever with the said exhaust valve.

HANS TEC/HEL. 

